BREAKING NEWS – Oskar Blues & Cervantes Hook Up

Scott Morrill and Hunt Frye (Cervantes, Arise Festival, Sonic Bloom) have assumed talent buying duties for Oskar Blues in Lyons and Longmont, according to a phone call this morning from current talent buyer Dave McIntyre.

Scott Morrill is the owner and main talent buyer for Cervantes in Denver. He and Hunt have also produced shows in other regional venues, including the Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Hodi’s Half Note, and the Aggie Theater in Fort Collins. They also manage and book for Octopus Nebula, Yamn, Tatanka, and Mikey Thunder and music festivals the Arise Festival and Sonic Bloom.

I spoke with Scott on the phone this afternoon. He said they will be booking shows beginning in May. April and half of May have been booked already according to Dave McIntyre.

This represents what will undoubtedly be a sea-change in what OB sounds like across the board. Originally well known for booking some of the top blues acts in the region since they started doing music about 1999/2000, the original Lyons location has earned a reputation for world class regional bluegrass and Americana the past six or so years.

Homemade Liquids and Solids, the Oskar Blues flagship restaurant and music room in Longmont, has hosted live bands for over five years on Friday and Saturday nights and acoustic solo/duos on Thursday and Sunday evenings. A popular bluegrass jam is hosted by Bonnie and Taylor Sims on Sunday 12-3 . Several popular regional bands have performed there, including the Yawpers, Mosey West, Brian McCrae, Fox St, the Congress, Johnny O Band, the Delta Sonics, the Blue Canyon Boys, and Bonnie & the Clydes.

Also included in the list of rooms belonging to the OB family – the Tasty Weasel (brew pub), CHUBurger, and CYCLhops. All three rooms feature acoustic solo/duo acts ranging from Danny Shafer to various members of the Monocle Band, Finnders & Youngberg, the Delta Sonics, as well as Longmont locals and regulars, The Prairie Scholars. OB rooms have accounted for significant parts of the incomes of some of these folks.

This marks the second time this year that a major change in booking has occurred in Longmont. Dicken’s Opera House took on a new talent buyer just a few months ago. There is no word yet on how the change at OB will affect those who have been playing those rooms the past several years. Knowing the kinds of acts Scott and Hunt are known for booking it looks to be a pretty good dose of the same.